2018 Men’s Lacrosse Year in Review: #8 Cornell Big Red

With the 2018 college lacrosse season complete and fall ball just around the corner, it’s time to start looking back at how all 71 teams did during the season, as well as what to expect from each squad for 2019. These are not end of season rankings, as some people might think.

We’re almost done looking back to 2018 with plenty of team recaps thus far and continued our series this week with Syracuse, Virginia, and Notre Dame.

So with that, let’s continue the recaps!

#8 Cornell Big Red

Conference: Ivy League
2018 Record: 13-5 (4-2 in Ivy League play)
Postseason: Defeated Brown and Yale to win Ivy League, defeated Syracuse in NCAA First Round, lost to Maryland in NCAA Quarterfinal
Head coach: Peter Milliman (Interim, 1st Year)

Statistical Leaders

Goals: Clarke Petterson (44)
Assists: Jeff Teat (62)
Points: Jeff Teat (99)
Faceoffs: Paul Rasimowicz (145-of-280; 51.8%)
Ground balls: Paul Rasimowicz (70)
Caused turnovers: Jake Pulver and Dom Doria (20)
Goals against average: Christian Knight (9.75 GAA)
Save percentage: Christian Knight (55.8%)

Personnel Losses

Key seniors departing: D Jake Pulver (37 GBs, 20 CTs, 1 G, 1 A), M Jordan Dowiak (40 Gs, 7 As, 15 GBs), G Christian Knight (9.75 GAA, 55.8% SV %, 23 GBs), LSM Scott Flynn (23 GBs, 7 CTs, 1 G), SSDM Kason Tarbell (5 GBs, 1 CT), SSDM Jack Bolen (6 GBs, 6 CTs), SSDM Dan Bockelman (7 GBs, 1 CT, 2 Gs)
Senior scoring departing: 59 of 415 points (14.2%)
Senior starts lost: 51 of 180 (28.3%)

Season Summary

After two disappointing seasons in Ithaca and a slow start for this past season, Cornell appears to have returned to the national forefront of college lacrosse thanks in a large part to Jeff Teat. In just his second year, the sophomore was one point shy of reaching the century mark as he helped the Big Red win an Ivy League Championship.

The year didn’t get off to a hot start with Cornell falling to Colgate in their season opener. Leading by one with 2:14 left in the third quarter, the Raiders went on a 5-0 run to take control of the game with the first four goals coming from Griffin Brown. After taking care of Hobart, the Big Red found themselves fiddling with a possible upset of Albany. But up two with 7:28 to go, the Great Danes offense woke up with four goals in the final 3:18 of the game to take home the two-goal win. That was also combined with TD Ierlan winning all 24 faceoffs in the game.

The Big Red clobbered Binghamton in a midweek game, then needed a big fourth quarter comeback to upset Penn State in Maryland. Teat assisted on four of Cornell’s six goals in the final period. They had yet another lead in the fourth quarter in their Ivy League opener against Yale, but the Bulldogs managed to score three times in the final 4:47 to defeat the Big Red. But it was known that Cornell was a very talented team that could potentially make it to the NCAA Tournament.

They had no problem beating Penn, Air Force, Dartmouth, and Harvard, with the offense scoring at least 20 goals in those first three meetings. Then came the midweek rivalry game against Syracuse. With Caelahn Bullen in goal, Cornell held off a possible second half rally by the Orange en route to a 13-8 win. Teat had four assists while Bullen made 14 stops. They followed that up with wins over Lehigh and Brown. However, they ended the season on a very low note with a 14-8 loss to Princeton. Teat was limited to one shot and was the first time he was face-guarded.

It happened again in the Ivy League semifinal against Brown, which resulted in a very ugly 7-4 loss. Teat did have a goal, thanks to a failed clear, and two assists. But in the Ivy League title game against Yale, the Bulldogs did not face-guard the sophomore as he went off for a goal and five assists while the Big Red outscored the Elis 8-3 in the second half to get themselves into the NCAA Tournament. But despite a win over Cuse at home earlier in the season, Cornell was unseeded and had to play the eighth seeded Orange in the Carrier Dome in the First Round. Teat was face-guarded again and got an assist out of it, but the Big Red got enough support from the rest of the offense including five goals from Clarke Petterson to advance to the quarterfinals. Down two at halftime, Maryland opened the second half on a six-goal run to advance to Championship Weekend.

Teat and Petterson teamed up to start all 18 games at attack this season. John Piatelli played in all 18 games as well and started in the first six before giving way to junior Colton Rupp. At midfield, senior Jordan Dowiak, junior Jake McCulloch, and sophomore Connor Fletcher started on the top midfield unit for all 18 games. The second unit consisted of talented freshman Jonathan Donville and classmate Matt Licciardi along with sophomores Cooper Telesco and Sam Duggan.

Senior Jake Pulver anchored the starting close defense and started in all 18 games alongside junior Fleet Wallace. Freshman Dom Doria started in 16 games and was a valuable contributor as well. Sophomore Brandon Salvatore and senior Scott Flynn were the LSMs, while junior Ryan Bray, freshman Harrison Bardwell, and seniors Jack Bolen and Dan Bockelman were the short sticks middies. Kason Tarbell played in three early games in the season as well before his year was done. Sophomore Paul Rasimowicz and freshman Luca Tria were the two top FOGOs with Licciardi also taking some draws, with Christian Knight backstopping all but four games in his final season in Ithaca and Bullen serving as his backup.

Looking Ahead

Despite losing out on the TD Ierlan sweepstakes to Yale, the Big Red still have plenty to work with for next season. All four attackmen return to the fold, including Teat and Petterson. But how will Peter Milliman and his staff adjust if teams keep face-guarded Teat? They’re two vastly different teams on offense when Teat is and isn’t guarded. The midfield loses only Dowiak but Donville is an easy replacement to move up to the first unit. Licciardi also had a good freshman campaign.

Wallace and Doria return on defense and so does Salvatore at LSM. They have plenty of defensemen that barely played last season including Griff Gosnell and Tom Reilly. Maybe they’ll be up for possible starting roles. Same goes for the second LSM spot with Joseph Bartolotto III. Bullen will probably replace Knight in goal unless incoming freshman Chayse Ierlan overtakes the lefty Canadian. Expect Cornell to make another run at the Ivy League title and perhaps maybe return to Championship Weekend for the first time since 2013.

Here’s who the Big Red will be adding to their roster for next year.